Talk:Atlas SLV-3

Definition of "launch failure"?
How do we define a launch failure? If the launch vehicle performs perfectly, delivering its payload to exactly the proper orbit, how is that a failure of launch? Separation of the nose cone was not necessary for launch; it's something that occurs after launch. If the spacecraft fails its mission for whatever reason in orbit, that is a mission failure but not a launch failure. Is there an authoritative definition otherwise? JustinTime55 (talk) 21:11, 5 August 2014 (UTC)
 * The nose is part of the rocket and its separation is part of the launch. The failure of the mission was caused by this failing to separate, so by any reasonable definition it must be considered a launch failure, in the same way that Glory and OCO are considered launch failures. -- W.  D.   Graham  17:44, 6 August 2014 (UTC)

How many launches?
This page says Atlas SLV-3 launched 5 times but in the page 1966_in_spaceflight there are 9 flights. The JSR database lists 114 flights of Atlas SLV-3. Barecode (talk) 15:40, 13 January 2021 (UTC)